Held my Breath for 2:16 first try! How long will I BH after courses?

[Arcticnick]

Hi there,
I have just come back from Thailand, on a snorkel live-aboard boat, for 3 days, 60 km off Khao Lak, Similan Islands.
I had a great time. So great, infact, that I am packing up my life in Swedish Lapland and heading back out there, in May!

One night, after the divers and crew went to bed, whilst sitting on the transom of our boat, Lee, our guide, and me, did one warm up breath- hold, two minutes of deep breathing followed by a hold, which was none too impressive.

Then we recovered briefly and did it again.

-I held my breath for 2:16 secs.
I then let out my breath in a very controlled way and took two more deep and controled breaths, and held it again, for a further 1:36 secs. (3:52 sec with 2 breaths?)

-I feel that was amazing for my first effort. Room for improvement but a solid start.

The last time I held my breath was over 30 years ago, in a French lesson, for 2:00 min!

I am planning to do some intensive freedive courses, maybe in Koh Tao.


If I take it seriously:

-I would like to know what kind of times and depths I might realistically manage.

I am nearly 47, in pretty good shape.
I have been doing long distance winter cycling, in the Arctic (minus 17C/ 72 kms and minus 22C for 1:45 up mountains etc, and gym workouts.)

I weigh 70 kilos/ 10% fat. Good muscle mass. I eat mostly raw fruit and veg, no refined carbs. Almost no cooked food.

-Please can you stick you neck out and give me some idea what depths and bottom times I might realistically aim for.

-What do serious divers, who complete their courses, and don't drop out because of injury...manage?

 

[azapa]

3:52 after one week

4:35 the next

guaranteed

 

[Kars]

Sound like you've found a passion Arcticnick!

Considering you did do some time of snorkeling, your 2'16" time is a nice start!
Like Azapa hinted, you can learn to reach even longer times with a knowledge, some training and an able freedive buddy.

You're about to start this new journey into the world of freediving, an exiting adventure that can teach you much, in many ways external and internal.

Your condition sounds already very good, so I suggest you focus on the other aspects: Relaxation of body an mind, flexibility of diafragm, chest, "ears", hydrodynamic and swimming technique, freediving theory.
The best thing you can do now is to find a local freediving buddy, and start training together.
The second thing you can do is to find your Tailand freedive instructor (there are a few to choose from), and make an appointment. I'm sure he or she will be able to give you some things to read and practice ahead of your arrival.
Thirdly you read and ask here for suggestions of things you can practice and try out.

As for what you may be able to accomplish expressed in numeric values, I think a 4' breath-hold should be practical, as well as an 75m + dynamic, and comfortable 2' dives to 25m deep, all in 1 year of practice. Past this things will get a bit more challenging, but you're abilities will keep growing with time.
A little note of warning.
In the 7 years I've learned that the most effective approach for me is to focus on relaxation and technique, not on end numeric performances results.
Because Freediving is practised in water and also into the anaerobic phase it is much more demanding than people tent to perceive. "You get tired quicker than you feel". On the positive side it greatly helps to sleep! But the downside can be over-training.

You'll feel you'll need more food, because you'll be burning much more calories that one would suspect watching those divers move so slow and elegantly through the water.

You can do this sport for a long time to come, until very old age, The water will carry you, and for what you may loose in muscle power you'll earn in reduced metabolism and oxygen consumption.

So Nick welcome to Deeperblue and the wonderful sport and activity of freediving!

Here is one of the many wonderful video's about freediving on the internet:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF4PN8-2YSk]YouTube - Freediving World Record no fins 88m (288ft)[/ame]

Enjoy,

Love, Courage and Water,

Kars

 

[rxcnc2]

So great, infact, that I am packing up my life in Swedish Lapland and heading back out there, in May!

Nobody can tell you on a forum how much you will be able to accomplish... but surely more than you did in your first attempt ;-)
After doing a course and some initial practice, an instructor should be able
to assess better your potential.
In case you intend to meet other freedivers, I can point you to people in Phuket and Bangkok, send me a private message.
There are also freediving instructors in Koh Lanta and Koh Tao.